Chemical Archives - Safety+Health Magazine

‘What does improve safety is people,’ Chemical Safety Board member says

Kevin Druley — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:06:58 +0000

Washington — Despite once again facing elimination under the Trump administration’s most recent budget request, the Chemical Safety Board is continuing its work – including collaborating with industry and worker groups. Speaking during a June 18 public business meeting, board member Sylvia Johnson highlighted recent CSB contributions to conferences and safety workgroups, including those involving […]

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EPA moves closer to ending animal testing for chemical assessments

S+H Staff — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 17:44:39 +0000

Washington — Recent Environmental Protection Agency actions will further EPA’s mission to eliminate animal testing in industrial chemical assessments and promote “more transparent safety decisions” to protect workers, the agency asserts. On June 2, EPA announced that it has updated its list of alternative test methods to replace the use of animal studies, also known […]

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‘It only takes one bad storm’: Safety agency renews call for hurricane preparedness

S+H Staff — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 18:53:41 +0000

Washington — Chemical facilities should take steps now to prepare for hurricane season, including securing hazardous materials and training workers on emergency procedures, the Chemical Safety Board says. Hurricane season along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts lasts through Nov. 30. CSB says “adequate preparations” can help workers, emergency responders and surrounding communities stay safe in […]

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EPA’s proposed chemical safety revisions would ‘hinder’ good practices, safety board says

S+H Staff — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 17:18:31 +0000

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed revisions to the chemical facility safety provisions under its Risk Management Program rule represent “a significant step backward,” the Chemical Safety Board says. CSB provided input in a May 5 letter from agency Chair Steve Owens and board member Sylvia Johnson. The correspondence sent to EPA included CSB’s […]

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Fatal blast leads to call for better awareness of equipment limitations

S+H Staff — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:38:37 +0000

Washington — Chemical facility operators need to ensure their equipment can function within safe operating limits, the Chemical Safety Board says in a new final report. The report details the investigation of a November 2024 incident at the Givaudan Sense Colour facility in Louisville, KY. Two workers died and three were seriously injured when a […]

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OSHA announces two meetings to prepare for UN’s GHS sessions

S+H Staff — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 16:29:06 +0000

Washington — OSHA has scheduled a pair of virtual public meetings ahead of the 49th and 50th sessions of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. The first meeting is set for 1 p.m. Eastern on June 23 in preparation for UNSCEGSH’s meeting on July […]

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Vermont finalizes landmark ban of paraquat

S+H Staff — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:18:16 +0000

Montpelier, VT — Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) has signed legislation banning paraquat, a controversial herbicide that has been tied to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease among agricultural workers. Scott’s signature on H. 739 cements Vermont as the first state to do so. Effective Nov. 1, the new law prohibits the use or sale […]

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OSHA inspection procedures now reflect 2024 HazCom update

S+H Staff — Tue, 26 May 2026 15:56:01 +0000

Washington — OSHA has revised its inspection procedures to align with the agency’s updated standard on hazard communication (1910.1200), issued in 2024. In a May 19 memo, OSHA references Paragraph (i) – trade secrets, Appendix A (health hazard criteria), Appendix B (physical hazard criteria) and Appendix C (allocation of label elements), along with revisions to […]

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Inspector general says vacant seats may hinder Chemical Safety Board’s effectiveness

S+H Staff — Thu, 21 May 2026 17:42:55 +0000

Washington — The lack of a full, five-member board “may prevent” the Chemical Safety Board “from achieving its stated mission,” the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General contends in a recent report. In a May 6 letter to CSB Chair Steve Owens introducing the report, Deputy Inspector General Nicole Murley identifies “operating effectively without […]

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EPA invites comment on controversial fragrance and one other chemical

S+H Staff — Wed, 20 May 2026 13:45:26 +0000

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking feedback on separate draft risk evaluations, including a potential landmark finding that a fragrance additive doesn’t pose “unreasonable risk” in work situations. In a draft risk evaluation published April 14, EPA says that 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta [g]-2-benzopyran – a fragrance ingredient also known as HHCB that’s used in air […]

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